A report issued by the Munich Security Conference on Wednesday highlighted that "the lack of leadership from countries like Germany and France, along with limited industrial interests, are factors that have prevented Europe from enhancing defense cooperation as required by the Russian war on Ukraine." The report stated that "the fundamental gap in European defense capabilities is caused by political leadership."
It added that "Germany and France, in particular, have 'fallen behind,' while European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and EU foreign policy coordinator Josep Borrell lead support for Kyiv and joint arms procurement initiatives." The report pointed out that "under Chancellor Olaf Scholz's government, Germany has faced repeated criticism for its absence on defense issues in the EU. Meanwhile, France is perceived as pursuing limited industrial interests rather than collective European interests."
The report continued that "the initial hesitation from both countries regarding supplying weapons to Ukraine, along with a long record of ignoring Eastern European concerns about Russia, have been among the factors that have permanently harmed their credibility in Eastern Europe and in joint defense initiatives." It emphasized that "the responsibility for restoring trust lies with Germany and France, and that time is a crucial element in accelerating defense cooperation."
